I have been so blessed this last 3 years by having the chance to be in the BYU Women's Chorus. Every day at 3:00, I have wandered into the HFAC to spend an hour singing with some of the most amazing girls on campus. I cannot imagine my BYU experience without it.
I have never been on staff or anything for choir, but I didn't want to let that stop me this year from being involved. As the year progressed, I adopted the role of the unofficial photographer and took pictures at every event we had...concerts, parties, service projects, retreats, etc. I loved it. My goal was to get every girl pictured, so of course I wanted to know who every girl was. Those girls have truly changed my life for the better. Some of them I only just really got to know last week and some of them have been good friends of mine for all 3 years now. Wow, it's been a crazy ride but oh so worth it.
This last weekend we had the chance to do a performance to be filmed and later nationally televised on PBS. All 4 auditioned choirs, along with the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra, sang/played pieces centered around the theme "Pilgrim's Journey Home." We explored all different aspects of the theme...war-torn times, service, faltering in faith, enduring to the end, and reaching our eternal home. As we sang, I was just trying to soak in every second of being on that stage...the cameras zooming in on my face, the feel of the lights, the look of the dimmed audience, the sound of the choirs and orchestra reverberating through the hall. It was the closest thing to perfection I've ever felt.
Ever since I got my mission call, I have never felt such strong feelings of doubt and inadequacy flood my mind. But the final closing numbers (which consisted of all 5 groups) were beautiful arrangements of Come Come Ye Saints and Lead Kindly Light. The words to both of those hymns and the power and conviction of all 700+ performers on that stage brought me to tears. Especially on the third verse of Lead Kindly Light, "So long thy power hath blessed me sure it still will lead me on!" I thought of all the times I have called on the power of the Lord in the past and I have been blessed with it. It will be the same on my mission. The Lord wants every one of us to know that He is near, always looking out for us, and He will bless us with the power we need to further His work upon the earth. I had no idea if a camera was zooming in on me right then, but I knew that I wanted whoever was looking at my face to know that I know, and to have a desire to come to know it for themselves. I felt like we had a little glimpse into missionary work by having the responsibility to portray the pure love of Christ through our music, our faces, and our spirits.
Sorry I've been rambling on, but Women's Chorus was so much more than a choir to me. It was a time that I could set aside to feel the spirit, strengthen my testimony, and strengthen my friendships every day. If anybody reading this was in Women's Chorus with me this year, thank you. Thank you for your patience as I passed out ;) , for your support in hard times, for your smiles in wonderful times, and for your love in all times. I love you!
